Among college wrestling coaches Eric Knuutila is a living legend. The former marine who served in Vietnam, was a three-sport athlete at Ithaca High School where he began his career under the tutelage of Hall of Fame coaches Bill Layton and Orlando Tureo. After discharge from the Marine Corp. in 1969, wrestling was the focus of his life. He began a dedication to the sport that has spanned forty years. In 1971 Eric received his associates degree from Coming Community College while he competed on the golf and wrestling teams. He was regional champion and outstanding wrestler at Corning Community College and then transferred to the University at Buffalo where he was East Stroudsburg Champion, mid-season All-American, and a two-time Division I National Qualifier. Upon graduation from UB in 1973, he took a "one year position" at Niagara County Community College to start a wrestling program "” which he did and after over 40 years, 4 national champions, 35 NJCAA All-Americans, 101 NJCAA Region III champions, 16 Region III team titles, a career win-loss record of 369-197-8, he's still at the helm of the program he started. Knuutila coached four national champions at NCCC in four different decades. Willie Moore (1977), Mark Jurek (1989), Dan Uhteg (1991) and Rashad Evans (2000) have all received national accolades under Coach Knuutila's guidance. In addition to serving NCCC and his country, Eric's biggest passion is his family starting with his wife of forty years, Lind. They are the proud parents of two, and their children have both pursued athletic careers. Their son Jason is employed by the Lockport Town and Country Club and their daughter Kristin is the athletic academic monitor and intramural recreation coordinator for NCCC. During the time that Eric was running his own wrestling program at NCCC, he was always working to build and strengthen the sport on all levels. He founded Amplitude Wrestling Club which eventually merged with the Buffalo Blizzards to form the New York State Super Six Wrestling Club. Eric was involved with the Empire State Games from the very start in 1978, missing only two. He has always been active in an advisory capacity in the Western New York Wrestling Coaches' Association, Section VI Kids' Wrestling, and the Wrestling Review of Western New York ranking committee. These efforts have been recognized and he has been inducted into several prestigious Wrestling Halls of Fame. Eric's energy and love for the sport of wrestling is limitless. He has led teams and coached internationally, officiated, conducted, and taught innumerable clinics, sponsored and run many tournaments on all levels, collegiate, open, high school, kids', Empire Games Qualifiers, and will always be the first one in and the last one to leave to make sure that everything runs smoothly and everyone has a good experience and "wrestling has been showcased" in a positive light. He truly has been a living legend in the sport of wrestling. The Upstate New York Chapter of the National Hall of Fame is pleased to recognize the accomplishments of Eric Knuutila by inducting him into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.